Snow melting and removal apparatus



Dec. 2, 1952 F V|V|AN0 2,619,745

SNOW MELTING AND REMOVAL APPA RATUS I Filed May 22, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 l III NVENTOR. l dl n4 Ilm :5257-57- BY FRANK VWIANO `1 r T A ,iff 0% n de l5 Cle; n

Dec. 2, 1952 F. vlvlANO sNow MELTING AND REMOVAL APPARATUS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed May 22, 1948 Rm W mm m V m W K B \\\\\\\\\\\m m Patented Dec. 2, 1952 UNITED STATES trifle-1v1v oFFIc-E Application May 22, 1948, Serial No. 28,653

' 6' Claims.

'This invention :relates .to'snow removal .apparatus, and more particularly to a vehicle which can .scoop up. snow .and .melt it sothat. Yit is `permanently disposedfof.v y

Itis Ywell known, of course, to disposeof snow by Various ty-pes of snow Vplovvs4 which push the snow .off to-.one side of aroad. VIn cities, however, Yand especially in. such :big cities as New York, Boston, Chicagoand the like, pushing the snow off of thercad means. pushingl it up onto the sidewalk, or atleast blocking the gutters. This necessitates .the costly -carting vof .snow to a dun-1p. For example,v the snow is picked` up by loading equipment and dumped intoa .truck and then :cartedto ariver or to vacantlcts for disposal.

It is :an object of the .present invention to provide. snow removal equipment which not only .plows the snow but also-melts it `to dispose of it sothat it .needinotbecartedaWay.

. A vfurther object is to` provide apparatus as aforesaid .ha-vingan adjustablezplow.

.Another obj ect is toeprovide apparatus as aforesaid in which theI snow which is .picked up yby the plow is mashed in ascrew conveyor, and -meltedJbyvhot water andi/orsteam.

- .another object is :to provide-ga' Iscrew v.oon-

veyor having, on .the same. shaft, opposite con* 4.veycr worms-sc 'thatrthe first .worm- :conducts the snow 'tol the. second worm, which :ma-shes the t-snaw. y v f Anothercbject i-sftoprovidefapparatussaszafore- `said which-utilizesthe-ifullnheat of 4the.internal combustionengineofjthefvehiclet. j

"Eoi- Vfurther comprehension- Qfthe invention, .-androf the :objectsfand advantages: thereofrrefer ence will ybe: had Ito.thegfollowingaclescription and accompanying ,drawings andy itc the appended claims inf which thevari'ousnovel'. features-of 4the 'inventicnare :more panticuiarlvset forth.. Y llnfthe.accompanying-drawingsformingfa material part ofthisdisclosurez, l f v gEig. l .isa side view of snow removal apparatus constructed. .in .accordance with fthe :present in.- vention Fig.. 2 is airont view .of .the vehicle-.oi Fig. -1..

'Fig'.fais a ,plan ofthesnow plow., A`Fig. '4 is a side ,view,`partl y Zin section, .ofthe Asnow-melting emipment'.`

Fig. k isa section on `the-line' 5- 5 of "Fig.

vThe snowlremova'l apparatus-of the present in- Avvention ji's incorporated in -aninternal combus- -tion engine motor'vehic'le `lill-@ofthe type having a 'short Wheel' base-'with the motor disposed :at

the rear, but it is to b e understoodV that the apparatus can be used with any type of vehicle, such as with tractors, ordinary dump trucks and street, cleaning trucks, locomotives and trolley The source of heat'used to melt .the snow may be provided electrically, or by vmeans of burning oil or other fuel'. In the present instance, the heat will be provided, .by wayof .ex-.- ample,y partly by the internal combustion engine .and partly `by an augmenting oil burner.

A brace or bracket .Il is bolted Ito the cab I2 of the vehicle l0 and .extends downwardly in front ofthe front wheels I3 of the vehicle. The snow plow l 4 is carried by this bracket. The. snow plow consists of aycenter portion l5 telescoped in "two end members I6 which are supported at their bottoms on wheels IJ, the center portion i5 being secured, as. by welding to the brace -I I. The two end lmembers are movable toward and `away from yeach otherv by an integral worm shaft arrangement having opposite threads |.8 and I9 which are threaded in lugs 20 and 2l secured to the end members I6. .At its center between .the worms 18 and i9, the shaft rotates freely in a bearing 22.. The worm shaft can be rotated by means of a wrench to adjust the width of the plow. l

A long horizontal tube. or cylinder 23 is secured to the chassis of the vehicle and extends the `full 'length thereof, ,opening at its front ,end through the rear wall of the. center portion I5 of the snow plow. At its front, the. tube has a spider bearing 2.4 and at its rear a Wall 25. Acon- `veyor shaft l2.6 is journalled in the kbearing 24 and wall 25. This shaft projects rearwardly beyond the wall 25 and is rotated by an internal corn- Abustion engine .21, the shaft 28 of which -is-connected to the shaft 26 by a chain-sprocketdrive 29.. The snow plow converges toward the spider :bearing 24, the end members `Hi havin-g Vbaiiie plates 30 for this purpose. 'The movement -of the vehicle effects scooping up of snow which'is .forced into the .tube .23, p-assing freely through the gien networkconstruction ofthev spider bearing A worm 3l is `connected to the 4forwardpor# tion of the shaft 2.6 for receiving the snowand moving .it rearwardly through the tube 2.73. -A .reverse Worm 32 is connected to vtherearfpore tion of .the shafti25. This reverse lworr 1i -re jects the snow and thereby works it-(over into slush. The shafti` is hollow and, along the 4worm .31, is providedwithfperforartons ;3f3-'. 1

The ,internall `,combustion engine: cooling cells and chambenrthere. .being noy radiator in the, preferred embodiment, is connected at the hot or outlet end to a coil 34 which is in a heater 35 and heated by an oil flame 36. At its outlet end this coil terminates in a straight length or nipple 31 which is rotatably received by the rear end of the shaft 26 and is journalled therein. The joint is sealed by a gland 38. Thus hot water from the engine is converted by the heater to wet steam or steam/water mixture and fed to the shaft 26, from which it is distributed by the perforations 33.

'Ihe tube 23 is connected, at its rear bottom portion, to a pipe 39 which returns cooling water to the internal combustion engine, completing the cooling cycle. The exhaust of the engine is piped by a conduit 40 to the tube 23 at a point a short distance from the inlet end of the tube 23.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The plow is rst adjusted to the desired width,

and the vehicle is then started up and moved slowly into a bank of snow lying on a vehicular highway or the like. The snow is forced into the tube 23 by the movement of the vehicle, and caught up and severely worked over by the worm 3l which continually moves the snow rearwardly. Due to the progress of the vehicle, a considerable plug of snow is formed at the entrance portion of the tube 23. To the rear of this the snow is continually being melted by the hot exhaust gases entering the tube 23 from the conduit 49 and by the steam-hot water mixture entering the tube 23 from the distributing perforations 33.

The melting converts the snow into a slushy mixture which is further ground by the resisting worm 32. As the snow melts and is converted into water, it flows back to the internal combustion engine through the pipe 39. Pipe 39 will be within the influence of the water pump. or a separate water pump may be provided if desired. Since the amount of water present will always be increasing and since the engine capacity is constant, water will be forced to flow toward the forward end of the tube 23, thus being forced through the snow in the tube 23, aiding in melting the snow. This excess water will force itself out of the front end of the tube 23 where it will flow onto the highway, and aid in melting the snow on the highway and converting it to slush.

It is to be understood that if desired, there may be two or more parallel tubes or cylinders 23 to expedite the melting of the snow.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a snow removal apparatus including a wheeled vehicle driven by a water cooled internal combustion engine and having a snow plow on 'the front thereof with a cylinder mounted on the plow and extending rearward therefrom beneath the vehicle, a spider mounted across the front end of the cylinder, a wall closing the rear end of the cylinder, a tubular shaft extended concentrically through the cylinder and having its front end .rotatively supported in said spider and its rear end extended rotatively through the wall which closes the rear end of the cylinder, a worm on the front end of said tubular shaft for drawing snow from the plow into the cylinder, the front end of said tubular shaft being formed with perforations between the convolutions of said worm, a conduit connecting the hot side of the engines cooling system to the projected rear end of said shaft for feeding hot Water into said shaft to discharge through said perforations and melt the snowv which enters the front end of the cylinder, and a pipe connecting the rear end of the cylinder to the intake of the cooling system for conveying some of the cooled Water from the rear end of the interior of the cylinder to the cooling system, said cylinder being open at its front end permitting excess water to discharge from the front end of the cylinder.

2. In a snow removal apparatus including a wheeled vehicle driven by a water cooled internal combustion engine and having a snow plow on the front thereof with a cylinder mounted on the plow and extended rearward therefrom beneath the vehicle, a spider mounted across the front end of the cylinder, a wall closing the rear end of the cylinder, a tubular shaft extended concentrically through the cylinder and having its front end rotatively supported in said spider and its rear end extended rotatively through the wall which closes the rear end of the cylinder, a worm on the front end of said tubular shaft for drawing snow from the plow into the cylinder, the front end of said tubular shaft being formed with perforations between the convolutions of said worm, a conduit connecting the hot side of the engines cooling system to the projected rear end of said shaft for feeding hot water into said shaft t0 discharge through said perforations and melt the snow which enters the front end of the cylinder, and a pipe connecting the rear end of the cylinder to the intake of the cooling system for conveying some of the cooled water from the rear end of the interior of the cylinder to the cooling system, said cylinder being open at its front end permitting excess water to discharge from the front end of the cylinder, and a heater surrounding a portion of said conduit for superheating the water before it enters said tubular shaft.

3. In a snow removal apparatus including a wheeled vehicle driven by a, water cooled internal combustion engine and having a snow plow on the front thereof with a cylinder mounted on the plow and extended rearward therefrom beneath the vehicle, a spider mounted across the front end of the cylinder, a wall closing the rear end of the cylinder, a tubular shaft extended concentrically through the cylinder and having its front end rotatively supported in said spider and its rear end extended rotatively through the wall which closes the rear end of the cylinder, a worm on the front end of said tubular shaft for drawing snow from the plow into the cylinder, the front end of said tubular shaft being formed with perforations between the convolutions of said worm, a conduit connecting the hot side of the engines cooling system to the projected rear end of said shaft for feeding hot water into said shaft to discharge through said perforations and melt the snow which enters the front end of the cylinder, and a pipe connecting the rear end of the cylinder to the intake of the cooling system for conveying some of the cooled water from the rear end of the interior of the cylinder to the cooling system, said cylinder being open at its front end permitting excess water to discharge from the front end of the cylinder, and a worm of reverse hand on the rear end of said tubular shaft to reject the snow drawn into the cylinder by said first worm forming a slush of the snow and the water.

4. In a snow removal apparatus including a wheeled vehicle driven by a water cooled internal combustion engine and having a snow plow on the front thereof with a cylinder mounted on the plow and extended rearward therefrom beneath the vehicle, a spider mounted across the front end of the cylinder, a wall closing the rear end of the cylinder, a tubular shaft extended concentrically through the cylinder and having its front end rotatively supported in said spider and its rear end extended rotatively through the wall which closes the rear end of the cylinder, a worm on the front end of said tubular shaft for drawing snow from the plow into the cylinder, the front end of said tubular shaft being formed with perforations between the convolutions of said worm, a conduit connecting the hot side of the engines cooling system to the projected rear end of said shaft for feeding hot water into said shaft to discharge through said perforations and melt the snow which enters the front end of the cylinder, and a pipe connecting the rear end of the cylinder to the intake of the cooling system for conveying some of the cooled water from the rear end of the interior of the cylinder to the cooling system, said cylinder being open at its front end permitting excess water to discharge from the front end of the cylinder, and a second conduit extending from the exhaust 0f the engine and discharging into the front of the cylinder for conveying the hot gases of combustion into the front of the cylinder.

5. In a snow removal apparatus including a Wheeled vehicle driven by a water cooled internal combustion engine and having a snow plow on the front thereof with a cylinder mounted on the plow and extended rearward therefrom beneath the vehicle, a spider mounted across the front end of the cylinder, a wall closing the rear end of the cylinder, a tubular shaft extended concentrically through the cylinder and having its front end rotatively supported in said spider and its rear end extended rotatively through the wall which closes the rear end of the cylinder, a worm on the front end of said tubular shaft for drawing snow from the plow into the cylinder, the front end of said tubular shaft being formed with perforations between the convolutions of said worm, a conduit connecting the hot side of the engines cooling system to the projected rear end of said shaft for feeding hot water into said shaft to discharge through said perforations and melt the snow which enters the front end of the cylinder, and a pipe connecting the rear end of the cylinder to the intake of the cooling system for conveying some of the cooled water from the rear end of the interior of the cylinder to the cooling system, said cylinder being open at its front end permitting excess water to discharge from the front end of the cylinder, and a chain drive between said tubular shaft and the internal combustion engine for driving the tubular shaft.

6. A snow removal apparatus including a wheeled vehicle driven by a water cooled internal combustion engine, a snow plow mounted on the front of the vehicle, said plow having a center portion xedly mounted on the vehicle and end members slidably mounted on the side of said center portion, means for moving said end members laterally relative to said center portion, a cylinder mounted on said center portion and extended rearward therefrom beneath the vehicle, a spider mounted across the front end of said cylinder, a wall closing the rear end of said cylinder, a tubular shaft extended concentrically through said cylinder and having its front end rotatively supported in said spider and its rear end extended rotatively through the Wall which closes the rear end of the cylinder, a worm on the front end of said tubular shaft for drawing snow from the plow into the cylinder. the front end of said tubular shaft being formed with perforations between the convolutions of said worin, a conduit connecting the hot side of the engines cooling system to the projected rear end of said shaft for feeding hot water into said shaft to discharge through said perforations and melt the snow which enters the front end of the cylinder, and a pipe connecting the rear end of said cylinder to the intake of the cooling system for conveying some of the cooled water from the rear end of the interior of said cylinder to the cooling system, said cylinder being open at its front end permitting excess water to discharge from the front end of said cylinder.

FRANK VIVIANO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,473,572 Fitzgerald Nov. 6l 1923 1,564,901 Scroggns Dec. 8, 1925 1,821,292 Chase Sept. 1, 1931 2,193,532 Frink Mar. 12, 1940 2,199,593 Kaeser May 7, 1940 2,261,732 OBren Nov. 4, 1941 2,315,003 Martin et al. Mar. 30, 1943 2,468,950 Wiedman May 3, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3,486 Great Britain of 1910 

